It seems everyone these days is outraged over what passengers have to go through at airports.

The Transportation Security Administration is determined that terrorists use only the means of flying for getting from point A to point B and are bound and determined to cause every grandmother, every school teacher, every person (regardless of age) to put aside their dignity when going through an airport.

While some conservative-based talk show hosts are using it as an excuse to criticize the president, we should all remember how this attack on our civil liberties started. It began not long after 9-11 with the passing of the Patriot Act. While it was President Bush who rammed this through under the cover of darkness, it must be noted that President Obama has also supported it and it remains with us today.

Giving up liberty for security and/ or freedom has never worked. It was a basic concept on what our country was founded. However, fear can do funny things to people. After 9-11 when so many Americans were scared of another attack, giving up personal freedom wasn’t that big of an issue.

I remember seeing interviews with people, even celebrities, who said they were willing to forego certain freedoms if it meant we would be “safer.” No one, except a few civil Libertarians like myself, made an issue of the Patriot Act which allows for wiretapping on private citizens, arresting you without cause under the guise of national security and basically taking a large sledge hammer to the Bill of Rights.

The Patriot Act has received support from both Republicans and Democrats. I’m not sure why people suddenly woke up on the airport issue. Perhaps it’s because Americans realize this is one area where they could be directly targeted by an over zealous government.

It may seem surprising to some in this day and time but I have never flown on an airplane. It’s not that I have a fear of flying. I’ve just never had the need to do so. I’m sure before my time on this rock is over, I will travel somewhere via air transportation.

However, for the present time, I must say I have no interest in taking the plunge for the initial time. To allow myself, or someone I know to be treated like a criminal at an airport, goes beyond comprehension. Our freedoms are certainly under attack. However, it goes back to a simple question: Why did it take so many Americans so long to realize giving up freedom for security does not work?

I theorize it’s because most people don’t think about their personal phone calls being monitored or their mail being tracked. Many people simply wanted to be safe, regardless of the price they had to pay.

Some banks today are even going toward using thumbprint scanners as a means of “ID.”

As we move toward a new year, our freedoms as individuals have never been under greater attack. All one has to do is look at the circus occurring at any major airport to realize this.

While I’m glad many Americans have finally been shaken from their sleep on this issue, I can’t help but wonder if it’s already a lost cause. This is not a partisan issue. Republicans and Democrats are equally at blame.

And as I have repeated numerous times in this space, until American voters stop pretending that anything is going to change when it comes to the two-headed political monster we have, erosions of our personal liberties will continue. If you keep patching the same worn out tire over and over, it is still going to go flat in the end. We, as Americans, have to demand more and find a new alternative to politics as usual.

Chris Bridges is editor of the Barrow Journal. He can be reached at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.

You talk about George Bush starting the Patriot Act. I say if George Bush felt it was a good thing, then it was. I say we should elect him president again. If he says we should give up our freedoms then we should by gum. He knows best.

All of our presidents have messes to clean up from the previous one just like bush when he got in office and Mr.Bridges you talk about us americans losing our freedom you are not far from the truth because under the obama admin. we are fast becoming a socialst country and when that happens FREEDOM WILL BE A WORD YOU ONLY READ IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.

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